Jacksonville rallies for Charlottesville

Ben Frazier of the Northside Coalition speaks to the crowd about the need to fight white supremacy.
(Photo Credit: Tim Gilmore)

Jacksonville, FL — 200 people gathered at Memorial Park on August 13 in support of the victims of the right-wing attack in Charlottesville, Virginia. The call for an emergency rally came after reports from major news outlets about Nazis marching at the University of Virginia. The Nazi march the next day left Heather Heyer dead, and many others wounded.

“We saw white supremacy for what it really was on Saturday. This is not something that is brand new. This is something that has been growing for a while now. We would be foolish to respond to this violence with inaction,” read a statement by University of North Florida Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), delivered by Tony Alvarez.

The protesters at this event braved the rain and wind to stand in solidarity with the victims in Charlottesville. They chanted, “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA,” and “No justice, no peace.” There were speakers from various local community organizations, then a candlelight vigil to remember Heather Heyer. Heyer was killed by white supremacist James Alex Fields, who drove his car through a crowd of progressive and leftist counter-demonstrators.